Name ______________________________ Class___________________Date__________________

Skills Worksheet

Directed Reading
Section: What Is Earth Science?
1. For thousands of years, people have looked at the world and wondered
what ______________________ shaped it.
2. How did cultures throughout history attempt to explain events such as volcano
eruptions, earthquakes, and eclipses?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
3. How does modern science attempt to understand Earth and its changing
landscape?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
THE SCIENTIFIC STUDY OF EARTH

_____ 4. Scientists in China began keeping records of earthquakes as early as

a. 200 BCE.
b. 480 BCE.
c. 780 BCE.
d. 1780 BCE.
_____ 5. What kind of catalog did the ancient Greeks compile?
a. a catalog of rocks and minerals
b. a catalog of stars in the universe
c. a catalog of gods and goddesses
d. a catalog of fashion
_____ 6. What did the Maya track in ancient times?
a. the tides
b. the movement of people and animals
c. changes in rocks and minerals
d. the movements of the sun, moon, and planets
_____ 7. Based on their observations, the Maya created
a. jewelry.
b. calendars.
c. books.
d. pyramids.
Original content Copyright Holt McDougal. All rights reserved. Additions and changes to the original content are the responsibility of the instructor.

Holt McDougal Earth Science

Introduction to Earth Science

Name ______________________________ Class___________________Date__________________

Directed Reading continued

_____ 8. For a long time, scientific discoveries were limited to

a. observations of phenomena that could be made with the help of
scientific instruments.
b. observations of phenomena that could not be seen, only imagined.
c. myths and legends surrounding phenomena.
d. observations of phenomena that could be seen with the unaided eye.
_____ 9. What inventions in the 17th century made seeing previously hidden
worlds possible?
a. the astrolabe and the compass
b. the microscope and the telescope
c. the microscope and the corrective lens
d. binoculars and magnifiers
_____ 10. Earth science is the scientific study of
a. astrology.
b. supernatural phenomena.
c. cosmetology.
d. Earth and the universe around it.
_____ 11. It is assumed in Earth science that natural events, or phenomena,
a. can be explained through careful observation and experimentation.
b. can be explained through methods other than careful observation and
experimentation.
c. will not be understood until the next century.
d. can never be fully understood.
BRANCHES OF EARTH SCIENCE

_____ 12. What improves when technology, such as new processes or equipment,
is developed?
a. the ability to change human nature
b. the ability to make observations
c. the ability to prevent wars
d. the ability to prevent natural disasters
_____ 13. The four major areas of study in Earth science are
a. volcanology, astronomy, geology, and meteorology.
b. the solid Earth, the oceans, the atmosphere, and the universe beyond
Earth.
c. the Earth around us, the Earth we can see, the Earth we cannot see,
and the universe.
d. geography, agriculture, astronomy, and astrology.

Original content Copyright Holt McDougal. All rights reserved. Additions and changes to the original content are the responsibility of the instructor.

Holt McDougal Earth Science

Introduction to Earth Science

Name ______________________________ Class___________________Date__________________

Directed Reading continued

_____ 14. Geology is the scientific study of

a. Earths rocks, maps, processes, and technology.
b. legends, observations, technology, and structure of the solid Earth.
c. the origin and history of Mayan culture.
d. the origin, history, and structure of Earth and the processes that
shape Earth.
_____ 15. Areas of study for geologists might include
a. the atmosphere, climate, and weather patterns.
b. Earths crust, forces within Earth, and fossils.
c. chemistry, physics, and math.
d. diet, nutrition, and exercise.
16. What is the scientific study of the oceans called?
_______________________________________________________________
17. Name four features of the ocean that oceanographers study.
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
18. A branch of science called ______________________ is the scientific study of
Earths atmosphere, especially in relation to weather and climate.
19. Name two technologies that meteorologists use to study the atmospheric
conditions that produce weather.
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
20. Name three weather factors that meteorologists measure.
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
21. Define climate.
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

Original content Copyright Holt McDougal. All rights reserved. Additions and changes to the original content are the responsibility of the instructor.

Holt McDougal Earth Science

Introduction to Earth Science

Name ______________________________ Class___________________Date__________________

Directed Reading continued

22. The scientific study of the universe, called ______________________, is one

of the oldest branches of Earth science.
23. How long ago were the ancient Babylonians charting positions of the planets
and stars?
_______________________________________________________________
24. Modern astronomers use Earth- and space-based ______________________ to
study the sun, the moon, the planets, and the universe.
25. What two technologies have provided astronomers with new information
about the universe?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
26. A new field of Earth science called ______________________ studies the
ways in which humans interact with their environment.
27. What is the goal of environmental science?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
THE IMPORTANCE OF EARTH SCIENCE

_____ 28. Natural forces that shape Earth

a. have little or no effect on life on Earth.
b. affect life on Earth.
c. have not been studied.
d. are hard to quantify so they cannot be measured.
_____ 29. What natural event could bury a town under ash?
a. lunar eclipse
b. earthquake
c. volcano
d. flood

Original content Copyright Holt McDougal. All rights reserved. Additions and changes to the original content are the responsibility of the instructor.

Holt McDougal Earth Science

10

Introduction to Earth Science

Name ______________________________ Class___________________Date__________________

Directed Reading continued

_____ 30. What natural event could produce waves that destroy shorelines?
a. earthquake
b. forest fire
c. volcano
d. lunar eclipse
_____ 31. By understanding how natural forces shape our environment, Earth
scientists can
a. design devices to prevent natural disasters.
b. figure out how to increase workforce productivity.
c. teach people how to lead healthier lives.
d. predict potential disasters more accurately and help save lives and
property.
_____ 32. The work of Earth scientists can help us understand our place in
a. the universe.
b. the atmosphere.
c. the food chain.
d. our society.
_____ 33. Which category of Earth scientists has come up with new ideas about
the origins of our universe?
a. meteorologists
b. cosmetologists
c. astronomers
d. astrologists
_____ 34. The resources that make life as we know it possible come from
a. Earth.
b. other galaxies.
c. hard work.
d. the government.
_____ 35. Earth scientists strive to help people learn how to
a. improve their diets.
b. invest their money.
c. read and write.
d. use Earths resources wisely.

Original content Copyright Holt McDougal. All rights reserved. Additions and changes to the original content are the responsibility of the instructor.

Holt McDougal Earth Science

11

Introduction to Earth Science